Outcomes of a dispersive ophthalmic viscosurgical device

Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate clinical outcomes related to the protection of corneal endothelial cells and the safety of the Bio-Hyalur CS (Biotech Healthcare Group, Luzern, Switzerland) ophthalmic viscosurgical device (OVD) in routine cataract surgery. Methods: Patients who had undergone cataract surgery using Bio-Hyalur CS as an OVD and who had at least 3 months of follow-up data were included in the study. Endothelial cell density (ECD) and morphology (hexagonality, area, and coefficient of variation in cell size) as well as intraocular pressure were evaluated during 3 months of follow-up. Intraoperative and postoperative complications were recorded. Results: Sixty eyes of 44 patients were included in the study. The mean preoperative ECD was 2383.5±288.67 cells/ mm2 . The mean postoperative ECD was 2186.0±359.65 cells/mm2 and 2149.7±354.49 cells/mm2 at 1- and 3-month visits, respectively. The mean coefficient of variation in cell size was 29.1±5.04% and 30.9±5.79% at preoperative and postoperative 3-month visits, respectively. The mean cell area was 426.1±52.59 µm2 and 476.6±122.26 µm2 at preoperative and postoperative 3-month visits, respectively. No adverse events were reported during the study period. Conclusion: Bio-Hyalur CS provided good endothelial protection and has a favorable safety profile. However, comparative studies with other OVDs are necessary

A Case with Brown-Vialetto-Van Laere Syndrome: A Sudden Onset Auditory Neuropathy Spectrum Disorder

The Brown-Vialetto-Van Laere syndrome (BVVLS) is a rare neurological disorder that may present at all ages with sensorineural hearing loss, bulbar palsy and respiratory compromise. We describe a 6-yearold male patient who suffered bilateral sudden onset severe hearing loss for two years. Audiological investigations revealed sudden onset auditory neuropathy spectrum disorder bilaterally. He also had neurological complaints. During riboflavin therapy an improvement in hearing loss and the benefit of hearing aids were observed. In BVVLS, it is difficult to plan and apply auditory rehabilitation interventions and the results vary from patient to patient. In audiological evaluation, it should be borne in mind that subjective and objective tests are complemental. Early medical intervention and regular audiological follow-up are very important for effective hearing rehabilitation in the patients with BVVLS

Comparative Study of Speech and Language Characteristics of 6-8 year-old Turkish Children with Dyslexia and Children with Typical Development

Purpose: Dyslexia is a neurodevelopmental learning disability characterized by difficulties in word recognition, spelling, and decoding abilities which are often unexpected in relation to other cognitive abilities and the provision of effective classroom instruction. Most individuals with dyslexia exhibit language difficulties. The aim of this study is to investigate speech and language profiles of children with dyslexia (CWD) among Turkish children with using standardized speech and language tests in Turkish. Method: Participants of this study consists of 29 children with dyslexia (13 boys, 16 girls) aged between 6.7-8.11 (M=96 months, SD= 9 months) and their age and gender matched peers with typical development (M=95 months, SD=8 months). For language assessment, TODİL, Turkish Articulation and Phonology Test and Turkish Nonword Repetition Tests were used. Results: There was a significant difference between the scores of two groups on Turkish Nonword Repetition Test (T-NRT) of two subtests Q-NRT and T-NRT (t (56) =5.98, p = 0.001). The difference between groups was significant on all SSI and TODIL except Word Discrimination subtest (U=337.00, p lt;.05). Children with typical development outperformed children with dyslexia. Conclusion: CWD had lower speech and language performance than their typically developing peers on all tasks. Assessing speech and language characteristics is crucial in diagnosis and intervention phases of dyslexia

Genomic and strontium isotope variation reveal immigration patterns in a Viking Age town

The impact of human mobility on the northern European urban populations during the Viking and Early Middle Ages and its repercussions in Scandinavia itself are still largely unexplored. Our study of the demographics in the final phase of the Viking era is the first comprehensive multidisciplinary investigation that includes genetics, isotopes, archaeology, and osteology on a larger scale. This early Christian dataset is particularly important as the earlier common pagan burial tradition during the Iron Age was cremation, hindering large-scale DNA analyses. We present genome-wide sequence data from 23 individuals from the 10th to 12th century Swedish town of Sigtuna. The data revealed high genetic diversity among the early urban residents. The observed variation exceeds the genetic diversity in distinct modern-day and Iron Age groups of central and northern Europe. Strontium isotope data suggest mixed local and non-local origin of the townspeople. Our results uncover the social system underlying the urbanization process of the Viking World of which mobility was an intricate part and was comparable between males and females. The inhabitants of Sigtuna were heterogeneous in their genetic affinities, probably reflecting both close and distant connections through an established network, confirming that early urbanization processes in northern Europe were driven by migration

Myeloperoxidase induces monocyte migration and activation after acute myocardial infarction

IntroductionMyocardial infarction (MI) is a significant contributor to morbidity and mortality worldwide. Many individuals who survive the acute event continue to experience heart failure (HF), with inflammatory and healing processes post-MI playing a pivotal role. Polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMN) and monocytes infiltrate the infarcted area, where PMN release high amounts of the heme enzyme myeloperoxidase (MPO). MPO has numerous inflammatory properties and MPO plasma levels are correlated with prognosis and severity of MI. While studies have focused on MPO inhibition and controlling PMN infiltration into the infarcted tissue, less is known on MPO’s role in monocyte function.Methods and resultsHere, we combined human data with mouse and cell studies to examine the role of MPO on monocyte activation and migration. We revealed a correlation between plasma MPO levels and monocyte activation in a patient study. Using a mouse model of MI, we demonstrated that MPO deficiency led to an increase in splenic monocytes and a decrease in cardiac monocytes compared to wildtype mice (WT). In vitro studies further showed that MPO induces monocyte migration, with upregulation of the chemokine receptor CCR2 and upregulation of inflammatory pathways identified as underlying mechanisms.ConclusionTaken together, we identify MPO as a pro-inflammatory mediator of splenic monocyte recruitment and activation post-MI and provide mechanistic insight for novel therapeutic strategies after ischemic injury

The genetic history of Scandinavia from the Roman Iron Age to the present

The authors acknowledge support from the National Genomics Infrastructure in Stockholm funded by Science for Life Laboratory, the Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation and the Swedish Research Council, and SNIC/Uppsala Multidisciplinary Center for Advanced Computational Science for assistance with massively parallel sequencing and access to the UPPMAX computational infrastructure. We used resources from projects SNIC 2022/23-132, SNIC 2022/22-117, SNIC 2022/23-163, SNIC 2022/22-299, and SNIC 2021-2-17. This research was supported by the Swedish Research Council project ID 2019-00849_VR and ATLAS (Riksbankens Jubileumsfond). Part of the modern dataset was supported by a research grant from Science Foundation Ireland (SFI), grant number 16/RC/3948, and co-funded under the European Regional Development Fund and by FutureNeuro industry partners.Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Reducing the environmental impact of surgery on a global scale: systematic review and co-prioritization with healthcare workers in 132 countries

Abstract Background Healthcare cannot achieve net-zero carbon without addressing operating theatres. The aim of this study was to prioritize feasible interventions to reduce the environmental impact of operating theatres. Methods This study adopted a four-phase Delphi consensus co-prioritization methodology. In phase 1, a systematic review of published interventions and global consultation of perioperative healthcare professionals were used to longlist interventions. In phase 2, iterative thematic analysis consolidated comparable interventions into a shortlist. In phase 3, the shortlist was co-prioritized based on patient and clinician views on acceptability, feasibility, and safety. In phase 4, ranked lists of interventions were presented by their relevance to high-income countries and low–middle-income countries. Results In phase 1, 43 interventions were identified, which had low uptake in practice according to 3042 professionals globally. In phase 2, a shortlist of 15 intervention domains was generated. In phase 3, interventions were deemed acceptable for more than 90 per cent of patients except for reducing general anaesthesia (84 per cent) and re-sterilization of ‘single-use’ consumables (86 per cent). In phase 4, the top three shortlisted interventions for high-income countries were: introducing recycling; reducing use of anaesthetic gases; and appropriate clinical waste processing. In phase 4, the top three shortlisted interventions for low–middle-income countries were: introducing reusable surgical devices; reducing use of consumables; and reducing the use of general anaesthesia. Conclusion This is a step toward environmentally sustainable operating environments with actionable interventions applicable to both high– and low–middle–income countries

İletim patolojilerinde temporal işlemleme ve işitme cihazı etkisi

Amaç: İletim patolojilerinde işitme cihazına geçiş kararında; problemin kronikliği, cerrahi ya da medikal tedavi sonrası yeterli iyileşme elde edilmemesi önemli kriterler olarak görülmektedir. Çalışmamızda iletim patolojisi nedeniyle işitme kaybı olan hastaların işitme cihazı kullanımının temporal çözünürlüğe etkisini değerlendirmek amaçlanmıştır.Gereç ve Yöntem: Çalışmaya hafif ve orta derecede bilateral iletim tipi işitme kaybı olan 68 yetişkin (19-58 yaş [ortalama 38.26 yıl]) dahil edilmiştir: 23 çift taraflı işitme cihazı kullanıcısı, 22 tek taraflı işitme cihazı kullanıcısı ve hiç işitme cihazı kullanmayan 23 hasta. 31 sağlıklı yetişkin (22-60 yaş [ortalama 34.13 yıl]) kontrol grubu olarak çalışmaya dahil edilmiştir. Rutin odyolojik test bataryası uygulandıktan sonra; temporal işlemlemeyi değerlendirmek için gürültüde boşluk tanıma testi (GBT), doğru boşluk tanıma skoru (DBT), durasyon (süre) patern (DPT) ve frekans patern testi (FPT) uygulanmıştır.Bulgular: Frekans ve süre patern testi ile doğru boşluk tanıma skorları yüksekten düşüğe sırasıyla normal işiten, bilateral işitme cihazı kullanıcıları, tek taraflı İC'lı grubun cihazlı kulağı, tek taraflı İC'lı grubun cihazsız kulağı ve işitme cihazı kullanmayan grup olarak elde edilmiştir. Gürültüde boşluk tanıma eşiği sonuçlarında, en düşük boşluk tanıma eşiği normal işitenlerde elde edildirken,en yüksek boşluk tanıma eşiği işitme cihazı kullanmayan grupta elde edilmiştir.Sonuç: Uzun süreli iletim patolojilerinde koklea ve işitme siniri sağlam olsa da var olan işitme kaybı işitsel yoksunluğa neden olabilir ve zamansal işlemlemeyi etkileyebilir. İletim patolojilerinde uygun amplifikasyon ile erken müdahale ise bu sürece katkıda bulunabilir.Objective: The chronicity of the problem of conductive pathologies, the lack of improvement with treatment, and the progression of hearing loss are seen as important criteria for using hearing aids. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of conductive pathologies and the use of hearing aids on temporal processing. Materials and Methods: Sixty-eight adults (aged 19–58 years [mean 38.26 years]) with mild to moderate bilateral conductive hearing loss were included in the study: 23 bilateral hearing aid users, 22 unilateral hearing aids users, and 23 patients with no use of amplification. 31 healthy adults (aged 22–60 years [mean 34.13 years]) were included as a control group. After the complete audiological test battery, gaps in noise threshold (GIN), total percentage score (TPS), duration pattern (DPT), and frequency pattern tests (FPT) were performed for temporal processing. Results: The results of FPT, DPT and TPS were obtained from high to low, respectively, as normal hearing, bilateral hearing aid (HA) users, aided ear of unilateral HA group, unaided ear of unilateral HA group and no hearing aid group. Ranked from highest to lowest, GIN threshold results were the reverse of TPS results, as expected. Finally, the results of patients with long-term conductive hearing loss who had never used hearing aids were significantly lower when compared with the hearing aid users group and the control group. Conclusion: As a result of this study, although the cochlea and auditory nerve are intact in long-term conductive pathologies, the existing hearing loss may lead to auditory deprivation and affect the temporal processing. Early intervention with appropriate amplification in conductive pathologies on the other hand may contribute to the temporal processing

Evaluation of biopotentials of Xeranthemum annuum and Bombycilaena discolor

Sentetik maddelerin hastalıkların tedavisinde kullanılması giderek artan yeni sağlıksorunlarına neden olmaktadır. Toplumda görülme sıklığı her geçen gün artan kanser, diyabet ve nörodejeneratif hastalıkların yaygınlaşması ile maruz kalınan sentetik madde miktarı arasında ilişki olduğu düşünülmektedir. Bu nedenle özellikle ilaç geliştirme çalışmalarında doğal bitkisel ürünlere yönelim artmıştır. Fitokimyasal bileşenler üzerine yapılan pek çok çalışma bu sorunlara doğal çözüm arayışı sonucudur. Mevcut çalışmada bu familyaya ait türler olan Xeranthemum annuum ve Bombycilaena discolor'dan elde edilen su özütlerinin antioksidan ve enzim aktiviteleri araştırılmıştır. Ayrıca bitkilerden elde edilen uçucu yağların bileşimi de belirlenmiştir. Örneklerin öncelikle toplam fenolik ve flavonoid içerikleri belirlenmiştir. Antioksidan aktivite ABTS ve DPPH radikal giderme aktiviteleri, metal şelatlama, fosfomolibdat testi, demir ve bakır iyonları indirgeme aktiviteleri araştırılarak değerlendirilmiştir. Enzim inhibisyon aktiviteleri ise asetilkolin ve bütirilkolin esteraz, tirozinaz, amilaz ve glukozidaz enzimleri için belirlenmiştir. Toplam fenolik ve flavonoid içeriğin en yüksek çıktığı Xeranthemum annuum özütü genel olarak daha yüksek antioksidan aktivite gösterirken enzim inhibisyon aktivitesinde glukozidaz hariç diğer tüm enzimler için Bombycilaena discolor daha yüksek aktivite göstermiştir. Çalışmadan elde edilen verilere göre her iki türün su özütlerinin fitokimyasal bileşiminin iyi bir biyolojik aktiviteleriyle farmasötik alanında iyi bir kaynak olabileceği gösterilmiştir.The use of synthetic substances in the treatment of diseases has been increasinglycausing new health problems. As known, there is a relationship between the increasingprevalence of cancer, diabetes and neurodegenerative diseases in the society and the amountof synthetic substance exposed. Due to this reason, the tendency towards natural herbalproducts has increased especially in drug development studies. In the current study, theantioxidant and enzyme activities of water extracts obtained from two Asteraceae speciesXeranthemum annuum and Bombycilaena discolor were investigated. Firstly, the totalphenolic and flavonoid contents of the samples were detected. After that, antioxidant activitywere evaluated by the methods ABTS and DPPH radical scavenging activities, metalchelation, phosphomolybdate test, iron and copper ions reduction activities. Enzymeinhibition activities were also determined for acetylcholine and butyrylcholine esterase,tyrosinase, amylase and glucosidase enzymes. As a result, Xeranthemum annuum extract,which had the highest total phenolic and flavonoid content, generally showed higherantioxidant activity compared to Bombycilaena discolor which exhibited higher enzymeinhibition activity for all enzymes except glucosidase. In conclusion, the data obtained fromthis study have shown that water extracts of both studied species could be a good source in thepharmaceutical field in terms of their phytochemical composition and biological activities